“How do we plant the explosive, Claus?” Aldous asked.
“I’d have to do it myself,” Claus said. “The rest of you needn’t put yourselves in any real danger, don’t fret. But we would need some kind of diversion so I could attach it to the underside of his car.”
Audrey didn’t skip a beat. “I can do that. Of course.”
“We would need fake identification to pass for security personnel or some such.”
Aldous nodded. “I just need a sample. You all know I can’t be of any help on-site, with this,” he said, tapping the handle of his cane. “I’m not exactly quick on my feet, nor inconspicuous.”
“If Audrey can draw security away from the motorcar, Claus and I could offer to stay with the vehicle whilst they go investigate,” Friedrich offered.
“That works,” Claus agreed. “Can’t see why anyone would object if we’re in uniform. We can give false names if we need to.”
“Then you can plant the device?” Friedrich asked him.
“Yes.”
“How long would you need to actually plant it?” Audrey asked.
“Maybe five minutes.”
“And then what?” Aldous said.
Claus sighed. “We plant it and, well… get the living hell out of there. Lud, can you be ready and waiting with our car?”
Ludwig nodded curtly.
“But would they notice if Hitler’s car is unattended when they finally get back to it?” Aldous asked. “Would that send up a red flag?”
Ludwig shrugged gruffly. “If Audrey can create enough of a diversion, it’s possible his security might be too distracted to notice. Difficult to say. But there’s usually more security on arrival than on departure, once they’ve already determined the location is clear.”
“But I think we would have to risk that anyway,” Claus said. “We don’t want to be anywhere near that fucking car when the device goes off.”
“We can discuss risk and likelihood until the hair on my ass turns grey,” Ludwig boomed. “Every man is here because he knows this must be done. We accepted the risk at our first meeting. The fact remains this is a real chance to eliminate him.”
“With any luck, it’s the only chance we will need,” Friedrich said.
A heavy silence befell the group as the prospect of murdering Hitler, and the subsequent fallout, descended on them. After several long moments, Aldous leaned on his cane and pushed himself up.
“Well,” he said, “let’s get to it, then. We’ve got work to do if we’re going to bring down the damn Reich two weeks from now. The pawns need to be in place before we try to take the king.”
The following evening after Daniel was asleep, Audrey, Ilse, and Friedrich gathered in the sitting room. The fire crackled in the grate, warming them for what was sure to be a chilling conversation.
As Friedrich and Audrey filled Ilse in on the plan, she sat silently.
“I know none of us wants to think about the worst possible outcome with this venture,” Friedrich said, his hands clasped between his knees, dark eyes on Ilse. “But we need to discuss it.”
Ilse’s nostrils flared. “You mean what happens to me and Daniel if you both get killed? Or arrested?”
Audrey reached for Ilse’s hand, pressing through that invisible barrier to the woman she had loved, in one way or another, for so long.
“Neither Friedrich nor I will be near the bomb,” she said. “The plan is for us to be long gone before the detonation takes place. We will do everything we can to return safely, Ilse. I promise.”
“It sounds terribly unsafe,” Ilse said. “Mad, even.”
Friedrich nodded. “I know. But Audrey is right. We’ve planned this so that we will be as far away from the risk of harm as we possibly can. And Ilse… no matter what happens here, if we succeed, the risk will always have been worth it. Surely you must see that. You and I, together, must accept this risk. For the sake of our people. For Daniel’s future, and the future of every Jewish child. It is for them that we do this.”
Ilse’s eyes welled with tears as Audrey’s heart ached from the outskirts.
You and I, together.
Friedrich ran his fingers through his hair. “There are four possible outcomes here,” he said, all business. “The first possibility is that we fail but survive. In that case, Audrey and I return home and continue as we are. The second and third possibilities are that we fail and die, or succeed and die.” His voice was rougher now, as though he’d wrapped it in jute cloth. “If we succeed, the death of Adolf Hitler won’t necessarily mean immediate freedom for Jews. We cannot know the precise impact his demise will have, though obviously we hope it will be substantial, enough to trigger, or at least hasten, the fall of the Reich. But you would need to lie low, risk nothing unnecessarily. There would be no small amount of shame or suspicion attached to the widow of a dead traitor. If we fail,” Friedrich continued, “I think you need to seriously reconsider Audrey’s suggestion to flee to her aunt in England. I will speak to Aldous in advance of this operation, but I know he would help you.”
Audrey stared at a spot on the sage green paisley-patterned rug at her feet. Hearing Friedrich so frankly describe the aftermath of their deaths was arresting.
“And the fourth outcome?” Ilse asked quietly.
Friedrich forced a small smile. “We succeed and survive. We move forward here, together, in what will hopefully be a peaceful new Germany.”
“Im yirtsé hashém,” Ilse said. God willing.
Friedrich shifted in his chair. “Our marriage certificate has been filed with the registrar’s office, so if I die, all my wealth passes to you. If the worst does happen, I would appreciate it if you could send a certain sum to my mother. I will leave her details with you. Please keep them protected. I would prefer you memorize them, then destroy them.”
Ilse brushed away a tear. “Of course. Of course, I will.”
A cloak of despondency settled on Audrey. How little would it matter if she, not Friedrich, perished in the attempt? If she died and Friedrich lived, he would return home to Ilse. They might even have a real future together, if her feelings for him continued to grow from the seedling clearly taking hold in her heart. Audrey bore jealousy for Friedrich, certainly, but she could not deny that with his machinations in place, regardless of what happened to Audrey now, Ilse’s future might be secured, and she simultaneously appreciated and resented him for it.
They all stared into the flames. There wasn’t much more to say.
